Personal goals of women recently diagnosed with breast cancer: Protocol for a cohort study

Abstract

Everyday life is characterized by the pursuit of multiple personal goals, such as learning to salsa dance or spending more time with family, which together describe important expressions of life motivations [1]. A personal goal is an individual's cognitive expression of a desired state or process which provides directional motivation towards that state; it defines what individuals do and strive for in everyday life [2,3]. Goals may be described at various levels of aggregation [2]. For example, personal strivings are mid-level goals, which often become the inputs of higher-order goals and life meaning [2,4]. Trying to always say hello to the coffee shop clerk facilitates the higher-order goal of being a good person. Personal projects, a closely related term, are also mid-level, individually defined, characterized by action and shaped by an individual's environment [5][6][7]. For consistency, we use the term personal goals in the sense of personal projects and personal strivings. Goal-setting theory suggests that conscious goalsetting and motivation is important in determining individual Keywords: Breast cancer; Personal goals; Goal pursuit; Integrative oncology; Observational study Objectives: This study aims to identify the personal goals of women with breast cancer, to describe the characteristics of participants' personal goals over four months, and to identify barriers and facilitators to their pursuit. Methods:This protocol outlines plans to conduct a prospective cohort study. We will recruit women participating in the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre's Head Start program (an integrative oncology psychoeducational program in Ottawa, Canada), and those on the program's waiting list if possible. We anticipate a sample size of approximately 18 to 36 women. Prior to the beginning of Head Start, participants will identify their current personal goals and rate them on various dimensions on a questionnaire. At one and three months, participants will re-assess their goals and their goal pursuit. In a one-on-one interview at three months, they will identify barriers and facilitators to the pursuit of their goals. We will analyze quantitative data using descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative data using thematic content analysis. Conclusion:Findings from this study will identify important information about the personal goals of women recently diagnosed with breast cancer that can help to support the process of positive goal adjustment and enhance support to these women. A study of personal goals, which are expressions of life motivations, among women with breast cancer aligns with integrative oncology's focus on patient-centered care. In our literature search, we identified one published study of personal goals in integrative oncology [15]. Participants in an integrative oncology program in Vancouver, B.C. were asked to identify personal goals related to program participation. The personal goals identified highlighted important motivations related to breast cancer: improved well-being, increased chanc...